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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Advice on membrane sweep!!

17 replies

chubbychipmonk · 29/11/2009 23:05

Apologies if this topic has been on before . .

I am due 1st baby on 20th Dec. I have to go to hospital every 4 weeks to get blood tests done and am next due at hospital on 18th Dec . . due to this midwife said 'we may as well do your membrae sweep when your in then on 18th save you coming back few days later'.

I was initially happy with this but the more people I speak to are puting me off. I am looking for peoples experiences of membrane sweeps in particulare. .

Will it work if i'm not overdue?

Does it increase likelihood of labour starting then stopping?

Is it painfull?

Am I better to leave it and see if I go into labour naturally?

Has anyone had one that worked?

Thanks

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FlappyTheBat · 29/11/2009 23:11

Had one at 41 weeks, hurt a lot and did absolutely nothing!

Others I know, sweep at just past term, didn't hurt that much and they went into labour pretty quickly.

Why is your midwife suggesting a sweep before your actual due date?

sallyjaygorce · 29/11/2009 23:16

Hi, I had one with each of my three. In each case I was 5 days overdue and keen to avoid induction so thought I'd try it. First time I went into labour 24 hours later, 2nd time also within 24 hours and third one had the sweep at 2.15pm and the baby at 8.15pm. So, arguably, they 'worked'. I wouldn't have had one before the due date though because I prefer to let nature take it's course - up to a point. They don't always work so I guess you have to be nearly there anyway if they do.

Each to her own, but I preferred to wait and see if labour happened naturally and would have waited longer but got impatient and excited about seeing the new one so went along with it. I didn't find any of them that painful - a bit of a wince maybe but nothing dreadful - a bit like a forceful smear. But had all the babies with no pain relief too so am inclined to be a bit gung-ho about the discomfort of it all. I did find the doc snapping on his blue rubber glove rather funny though. Like a Bob Fosse dance move.

Good luck with your Christmas baby. Hope it goes well whatever you decide. You sound like a great mum already.

Original poster

chubbychipmonk · 29/11/2009 23:25

Flappythebat . . the midwife booked me in for the sweep on the 18th as I have to go back to the hospital then anyway to get blood checked and she said that since it is only 2 days before my due date she would do it then and save me from having to go back to the hosital a few days later . . . .

OP posts:

SecretSlattern · 29/11/2009 23:27

I had one, it didn't hurt but it did naff all either.

alana39 · 30/11/2009 10:36

Chubbychipmonk where I live they don't even consider doing a sweep until term + 10 days (then induce from term + 12). As I understand it, they are more likely to work if you are getting ready naturally anyway and prior to due date with your first you are more likely to still have an unfavourable cervix anyway. Just more likely, not definite - obviously some first babies come early!

I ended up with a sweep with my 3rd that definitely kicked things off - within an hour started to have irregular contractions which then progressed into labour. But I was 10 days over.

Some people find them painful, but that's more likely if your cervix is still hard, posterior and again that's more likely if you have it done too early.

weaselbudge · 30/11/2009 10:39

I have heard that medically it won't work unless your body is pretty ready to give birth - i.e. your cervix is already soft and even slightly dilated. I had my sweep at 7 days overdue and it worked a treat - it didn't hurt at all either (much much better than having a smear!). But I do think this is because apparently i was already starting to dilate. If I were you I would resist having the sweep until you are overdue (unless it's loads of hassle for you to go to the midwife). Otherwise you risk your cervix still being hard and not ready (which means it won't work and may hurt a bit).

rubyslippers · 30/11/2009 10:44

i had a sweep at 39 weeks but i had already had a show

it hurt a lot (seriously) but it worked and i went into labour 2 hours later

BexJ78 · 30/11/2009 10:50

Apprently, as some have said above, your cervix needs to be ripe for it to not hurt and to have more chance of working....

bacon · 30/11/2009 11:37

Yes BexJ78 your right the cervix needs to be ripe and affaced. Both time mine wasnt (both 7 days over). Yes you need to be close to labour, babys head needs to be in the correct position to push down which causes the chemical reaction for the cervix to dilate. I found when the MW did them at home they were fine however the hospital they can be a bit more brutal and as my cervix was positior there was alot of stretching and tires. You need to be a min 1.5cm dilated so that the MW can push her fingers through to sweep under the babys head.
From all threads I have read over the past 2 pregnancies its 50/50 whether it works or not.
Sweeps are the done thing now to avoid induction and it could be said that if you were overdue and ripe then you would probably go into spontanous labour without the need for one.

madmissy · 30/11/2009 11:42

had with both dd's

dd1 at just before she was due and i had her the following morning it certainly put me in labour was not painful just uncomfy

dd2 at 38 weeks again just uncomfy but i was induced instead cervix wasnt ready

sallyjaygorce · 30/11/2009 21:15

Yes - I was already 3 inches dilated with my second so it was happening anyway. Odd to offer it just because you happen to have an appointment anyway. Maybe they'll give you an epidural too, just in case.

luckylam81 · 30/11/2009 21:29

i'm having one tomorrow 39+5 second baby i'm trying not to get my hopes up about it working to be honest mainly due to the fact that i had 2 with dd and nothing happened at all,didn't find it at all painful before,during or after,ended up being induced at term+12,secretly hoping that since its 2nd baby i'l be a bit dilated and a bit more 'ready' down there!!

designerbaby · 30/11/2009 21:56

Just putting my cynical hat on for a moment (it's always fairly close at hand, if I'm honest) but they couldn't possibly be offering you a sweep in the hope that you'll go into labour before the Christmas break rather than over the Christmas period when they're likely to be short staffed, could they?

I had no less than four sweeps with DD as went two weeks overdue, not painful, just uncomfortable and somewhat undignified... But I really don't see the point if you're not actually overdue and would be inclined to give it a skip...

If you do go really overdue it'll be the new year and everyone will be back from their holidays, so that'll be ok!!???

[takes cynical hat off again and dusts it down]

db
xx

LackingNicknameInspiration · 01/12/2009 05:54

Hello

I had a sweep with DD1 when 9 days overdue (by 'official' date, 2 days by mine...) and she turned up the next day - also had a reflexology treatment the next day and cervix was favourable which probably helped. Sweep itself was fine, hardly felt it, and much less uncomfortable than a smear.

Agree with all here that timing seems to be important - from what I understand, it's unlikely to be effective if early. Am currently 3 days over with DC2, saw MW yesterday and she was saying it's usual practice not to book for a sweep before 41 weeks, so before your due date does seem early. Having said that, she has agreed to do one at 40 + 5, mainly because am booked for a home birth so she'd be on hand to deliver it that day - but I think it's on the grounds that she thinks it's reasonably imminent anyway (not something the baby seems to agree with from what I can see though!).

Hope that helps - and good luck with whatever you decide!

Original poster

chubbychipmonk · 01/12/2009 22:38

Hmmmm . . Im begining to think it is more for the convenience factor of getting me in before Xmas . . my induction is booked for 27th Dec (am due 20th) . . presumably so they can get me out before the staff shortage at New Year too!!!!??

Still dunno whether its worth a shot or not? If your body isnt ready appart from labour not working and giving you pain . .will it actually do me or the baby any harm?

OP posts:

madmissy · 02/12/2009 09:43

i am booked for one on monday (38weeks). give it a go may or may not do anything you don't lose anything if you don't have anything happen from it and if you do then you get the baby earlier!

MumNWLondon · 02/12/2009 21:02

I had with DD. It was on my due date, she said they don't usually until a week late but she did it anyway. Wasn't that uncomfortable. I went into labour 24 hours later so it might have made a difference. If I had induction booked for 27th then I was want 3 in the week before that but wouldn't bother before then.

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